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Category: school

gifts/giving/Printables/school

Giving Good Gifts: Teacher Edition

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Jolie / 1 Comment

Every year around Christmas, I realize I don’t know my child’s teachers as well as I would like and that makes gift-giving a little harder than it s...

2016/Baby Gray/Happy House/school

Oh, My Heart

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Jolie / 3 Comments

I walked him into school this morning, just as I have for the last three years. Monday and Wednesday, off he goes. He spends his day learning, playing, showing ...

Friday Five/friends/Happy House/MOMquery/school/soccer

F I V E

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

1. I had every intention of posting a first day of school interview with Baby Gray this week. I’m not sure how that got away from me. I’ll aim for a...

2014/Baby Gray/fashion/Fashion Friday/independent/school

Telling the Tales

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

It’s Friday, and the fashion guru didn’t disappoint! Whether he’s bearded or frilly, he’s always hilarious.  Photo courtesy of Kevi...

2014/Baby Gray/favorites/fun/interview/questions/school

The Big Guy Himself

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Sometimes the things this boy says are off the wall; sometimes they’re dead-on. I thought I’d see where he was this morning–a good mix of both...

2013/Aggies/Baby Gray/blog/Happy House/Instagram/mutton bustin/Pinterest/Revolution/school/Tuesday 10

Ten, ten, ten!

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I’m not good with the weekly posts, but sometimes I think they’re fun. Like today. I think I’m going with the Tuesday 10 again. 1. It’s ...

2013/Baby Gray/first day/firsts/Happy House/mom/motherhood/parenting/school/teaching

When Worlds Collide

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

This morning, I switch roles in the classroom. I make the change from teacher to mom. Last week gave me a tiny taste of it, but I know that as Baby Gray spends ...

Baby Gray/family/growing/laughing/learning/school

The Simplest Machine

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Last night we had a little lesson in simple machines. Yes, we were in a restaurant. Yes, we were getting strange looks. It was worth it, though. Totally worth i...

school/teacher/teaching

The Reality of It Is

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

This was possibly the weirdest morning of my life. All my teacher friends (I have lots) and all my parent friends (I have lots of those, too) posted on Facebook...

learning/school/school supplies/shopping/teaching

Supply & Demand

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

School supplies have always excited me. When I was younger, we would go to a bigger store in San Marcos or New Braunfels so I didn’t have the same supplie...

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Hi, I’m Jolie…

jolie-gray
Wife to Josh, mama to Hays (7), hopeful adoptive mama, and Jesus lover. I founded Purpose Box in July of 2014. I'm all about open sunroofs and coffee dates. Welcome to my space; have a click around. I hope you feel loved, encouraged, and empowered.

Texas forever.

Purpose Box

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The latest adventure. Part of our story is that The latest adventure. 

Part of our story is that God has asked us to be good stewards of what we have. We discovered a love of kayaking a few weeks ago and then made the best of finding some to meet our needs. 

We snagged some kayaks from our favorite outfitter and set out for our favorite river spot. Adventuring at its finest. (Several years ago that was my word for the year.) 

We had a blast, found a great spot, and learned a few lessons. 

Here’s to learning as you go!
Allow me to introduce {our}selves: I’m Jolie. Allow me to introduce {our}selves: 

I’m Jolie. Wife, mama, teacher, friend, daughter, Aggie, writer, encourager, reader, letter writer. 

That’s the boy. LEGO builder, author, advocate, fundraiser, creative, friend, Type One butt-kicker. 

That that’s Mr. Gray. Husband, father, friend, role model, coach, teacher, learner, discerner. 

This is us! (Except now Mr. Gray cut his hair. 😭😭😭) Sometimes we match when we go out. Sometimes we laugh too loud. Sometimes we overreact. We love and forgive each other. We work together to help others and make the world around us better. 

Who are you? How are you? 👇🏻
So, I didn’t tell y’all, but when I posted yes So, I didn’t tell y’all, but when I posted yesterday, I also challenged myself. I challenged myself to show up. For seven days. Or ten. Or twenty-one. Or thirty. I’m not sure how long yet, but I’ll be here. For some consecutive days. 

I want to show up here in laughter or tears in such a way that you can take a little nugget, stick it in your pocket, and save it for a rainy day. 

Sometimes you just have to laugh. Laugh at yourself. Laugh with your spouse. Send your ridiculousness to your friends. Take a moss to dinner. Embarrass your husband. Don’t take it all so seriously. Step back a bit and step out of the deep. Smile. Breathe.
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, I wro Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, I wrote every single day. If I were going to be gone, I wrote ahead of time and scheduled it to post. In a more recent place in time, I jumped online each Friday and discussed the week via Facebook live. In an even more recent realm, I started a weekly newsletter in an effort to get back to some writing roots and offer up another form of sharing ideas and tips. 

Then I stopped. All of it. 

Everything around me began to just sound like noise, and I didn’t want to contribute to that. I wanted to be sure what I bring to the table has some value (even if sometimes that value is that it’ll show up in my @chatbooks later).

Mostly, though, I want what I share to be thoughtful and representative of a safe space in this big ol’ (sometimes mean) internet world. I want people to peek in—to any of my spaces—and see something that saves them time, a way to give back, a reminder that Jesus loves them, a family working on getting back to the basics and focusing on each other.

I want to be a brand and make an impact and be something bigger, but not in such a way that I blend in with the noise. I want to make you think and challenge you and offer up ways to make your life and systems simpler and work for you. I want to be a resource and an encourager.

So, I’m getting back in the game. And I’m starting with this little space. 

*laces up shoes and jogs onto the court*
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